Melody in Prison: Ngawang Choephel
	UPDATE 16 November 1998

Update on Sonam Dekyi's European Visit

The report below was released by the Tibetan Centre for Human Rights and Democracy.

Sonam Dekyi Asserts Pressure in the U.K. for Her Son's Release

Sonam Dekyi, mother of Tibetan political prisoner, Ngawang Choephel, has met with several British politicians and international representatives while campaigning in the UK over the past fortnight. This week, she also conducted an interview with the national newspaper, The Times of London, with well-known singer, Annie Lennox. Accompanied by TCHRD representative, Mrs Tsering Norzom, Mrs Dekyi is campaigning across the US and Europe for the release of her son, who is currently serving an 18-year prison sentence and is being held at Drapchi Prison in Lhasa. Through international pressure, she is also hoping to secure a visa to visit her son.

A meeting with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office was held on November 4. Its representative, Mr David Warren, head of the China and Hong Kong desk, pledged to continue to discuss Ngawang Choephel's case with Chinese officials on human rights' grounds. Tony Blair, the British Prime Minister, mentioned Ngawang's case during his visit to China last October.

Mrs Dekyi also requested that the British Government, as president of the European Union, play a role in appointing an EU representative for Tibet and put pressure on the Chinese Government to negotiate with the Dalai Lama, head of the Tibetan Government-in-exile. A request was also made to Mr Warren to investigate the shooting incident at Drapchi Prison in May 1998. The shooting coincided with a visit to the prison by an EU delegation, and TCHRD received reports of 11 deaths following the incident.

On October 29, Mrs Dekyi attended a reception hosted by the International Committee for Artists Freedom. The organisation is a global network of artists and actors who support and campaign for artists who are in trouble. Ngawang Choephel was researching Tibetan traditional music and performing arts in Tibet, prior to his detainment by the Chinese authorities on suspicion of being a spy for the Tibetan Government-in-exile. In response to Mrs Dekyi's campaign, 1,500 postcards of Ngawang Choephel had been sent to the Chinese President, Jiang Zemin, to assert pressure for his release.

TCHRD received reports on November 5, 1998, that Ngawang Choephel had been transferred to the high security Drapchi Prison in Lhasa, “TAR”, on June 27, 1998. Since his detainment in 1995, he was being held at Nyari Detention Centre, Shigatse while appealing his case. He was sentenced on charges of “espionage” by the Shiagtse Intermediate People's Court on December 26, 1996.

Mrs Dekyi and Mrs Norzom will continue their European tour in The Netherlands, Norway, France, Switzerland and Austria until mid-December.

To date, there has been no response from the Chinese authorities regarding Ngawang Choephel's case.